The Chartiers Valley Source

Steve Noe spent 30 years working in the cutthroat business of corporate sales. Thats three decades of driving to sales calls, often in horrendous weather, monitoring monthly sales reports, and mastering the grueling art of closing.

His specialty was selling cost containment and cost management services for companies ranging from Cigna to Legalgard to the Kemper Group. Finally, in 2005, he reached his limit.

Sales was basically all I had done for 30 years, says the 60-year-old Noe, a resident of Chartiers Township near Canonsburg. I was literally burned out. I was burned out from traveling, burned out from doing high-pressure sales. It was a good living, but it takes its toll over time.

The prospect of a sales-free lifestyle was too hard to resist. When I got close to being able to tap into my IRA I said, You know what? Im done. I turned in my resignation and quit.

Noe decided to walk away from the profession he had mastered. His thoughts and energies were completely fixated on a relaxing retirement; little did he know that he would be fully immersed in a new drastically different career just a few years later.

These days, Noe is a service delivery coordinator for the American Red Cross in Washington. He is a perfect example of the increasingly popular trend of retired individuals starting a second career.

For some individuals, a second career is a necessity. Corporate downsizing forces numerous individuals to re-enter the job market. For others, its chasing that elusive dream or a turning a former hobby into a business. Some people take on second careers simply because they realize they cant stop working, either because of a compulsion to be busy or because they enjoy work.

Howard Dunmire worked as a high school shop teacher for 22 years before choosing to work in construction for another 23. When he hit 70 years old, he figured it was time to retire. His retirement lasted less than eight weeks. I loved working in construction. I thought I needed to retire, but when I did, after a couple weeks, I was ready to go back to work, he says. I needed to stay busy.

Dunmire got a job as a part-time handyman for Handyman Matters, a Monongahela-based general home repair business that services Washington County and the South Hills. Working an average of four to six hours per day, he tackles such jobs as installing electrical outlets, changing faucets and basic carpentry. I enjoy working as a handyman, he says. I like the work, and I really like talking with people, and it gets me out of the house.

Some retired individuals seek seasonal jobs, often as a way to collect just enough money to pay for a round of golf each week. We get a lot of retirees who are looking for short-term or seasonal work, says Kelly Nice, a staffing coordinator with Adecco, a regional employment agency in Washington. One of our customers looks for seasonal employees every year to pack cookies. A lot of seniors like that opportunity because its simple assembly line work, and its laid back. They get to eat the cookies.

While some retired individuals pursue a particular job, others fall into their second career. In Noes situation, he was enjoying his retirement but also looking for something to do with his time. In early 2005, he stopped by the Red Cross office and inquired about becoming a volunteer.

After training, Noe became a Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteer. Basically, that meant responding to disasters such as house fires and floods and assisting victims with food, clothing and shelter needs. I was always interested in working in disasters, he says. I went down to Katrina and that validated to me that I had done the right thing, joining the Red Cross.

He remained a volunteer until last spring when the Red Cross asked him to join the organization as an employee. I thought, basically, if I could do what I was doing as a volunteer and get paid for it and not have the pressure I felt all those years in sales, I figured Id go for it.

Noes desire to serve the community is reflective of a popular second career trend.

Peggy Williams-Betlyn, the Senior Vice President for Workforce Development at the Community College of Allegheny County, says she frequently sees similar situations.

In some cases, Baby Boomers are looking for a second career where they can give back in some way, she says. We recently had a retiree come to CCAC to earn an EMT certification, and a CCAC employee became a phlebotomist a few years ago after he retired. We look at it as making a difference one more time.

Dorothy Bassett, Dean of the School of Leadership and Professional Advancement at Duquesne University, sees a similar trend.

People, as they get older, look for ways of giving back to the community, and they often work for nonprofits, she says. Not a lot of people know how to function in the nonprofit community after working in the corporate world, which is why we have our Masters in Community Leadership program.

The nonprofit world, however, is just one entry on an endless list of possible situations in which to work after retirement. It is common, for example, for retirees who start a second career to work in businesses ranging from food service to maintenance to teachers assistants. Even healthcare positions such as nurses and x-ray technicians are popular second career options.

For those looking at starting a second career, experts offer a few simple tips. First, assess your likes and dislikes and research the opportunities within a potential new career. Then network with people who work in that field, and, if need be, bring your education and skills up-to-date.

Researching potential careers and networking involve digging up information online or calling people who work in your desired field. However, how much education or training is needed for a second career varies greatly depending on the specific job. Often, simply taking a computer class or skill workshop is enough to jump start a second career. We do have people who are transitioning into a second career by pursuing an associates degree, short-term certificate or even taking some non-credit classes, says CCACs Williams-Betlyn. Some students just want to brush up on computer or language skills before pursuing part-time work after retirement.

Whether its working with a power saw, pursuing a masters degree or handing out blankets to flood victims, the bottom line is that retirement doesnt always mean retirement. Once you retire and your bills are paid and youve done your duty to your family, think back to what you really liked doing and go for that.